Arun Singh
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 9: Giving a damn to the guidelines set by the centre on Rural Water Supply (RWS) schemes, Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department diverted approximately Rs 12 crores in other works which had been excluded from the programme.
Sources told Early Times that centre had allocated crores for the execution of various projects under Rural Water Supply (RWS) schemes, PHE Department made expenditure of huge funds for other works, which as a matter of fact had to be borne by the department itself.
"Despite the fact that most of the ongoing Rural Water Supply (RWS) schemes across the state had been stuck midway due to shortage of funds, the Department continued to spend funds for maintenance and repair works which as to be borne by the department from state plan," they said further adding that officials of the PHE Department expended funds more than Rs 4 crore in hiring private vehicles, fuels, stationery. Not stopping here, PHE Department got constructed office building at Jammu with the estimated cost of Rs 1.50 crore out of coverage funds which was irregular, they added.
They further informed that despite the significance of the schemes, the PHE Department, without caring the completion of existing schemes which were meant for rural areas, had been diverting funds in contra of the programme guidelines, for other works since long as a result, schemes remained uncompleted. Moreover, in many cases, several divisions of PHE Department made excess payments for providing/ fixing pipes including overhauling of existing network of water supply schemes, they added. |
